I have a top sheet that I have since I was 14 y.o. (BELIEVE IT OR NOT!!) It has small and medium flowers in bright blue and bright yellows, orange, almost a lime green, and when I use that sheet it makes me happy too when I walk in the room. :))))

You go girls! I'm on board with experimenting with color and changing your environment. It really does make you happy. Right now, I have bright orange paisley sheets on my bed. It makes me happy every time I walk into my room.

I keep thinking about your kitty lounging on a leopard rug! against lovely golden butterscotch walls! As you look at it all just don't let it overwhelm. You're right! PLEASE YOURSELF. (I wear purple much more than I used to but admit I've always liked it.) Just have fun; life's much too short to take it seriously. The first half seemed to take forever but that last half seems to be racing by at breakneck speed! I can't do a lot of the physical things I once took for granted but I enjoy making constant little changes to my environment...keeps me going. I'll bet I'm older than you!

Thanks Carole........lots of great ideas! This putting color in my life comes under "when I am old I shall wear purple"........I am OLD now and I will decorate to please myself! Mmmm, maybe a double whammy, I will wear purple while I am doing it! ?? :)

OK, took a look at several catalogs (just for ideas...you may find something at a local store!). First, go to www.homedecorators.com and search for a rug named "ARCADIAN" in a color named TERRA. This is a little more formal but still contemporary in the layout of the design. The colors in it would pick up the golden cabinetry in the next room. Your neat storage ottoman would look good on it. Another sort of formal look is BRUNSWICK in the color COPPER.

My favorite (don't let that sway you from yours) is MILLIE in the color APRICOT; it's a zigzag geometric. If that's too bold, look at TAZA in YELLOW. If you're really wanting to be radical, try CRETE in TERRA COTTA; it's a bold statement but it's just like a modern painting only it's sitting on your floor and it's not covering the whole room! RUSH in RED/TERRA is another of that ilk.

Now, consider a neutral but bold rug (your kitty might like it) named LEOPARD in the color BLACK/RUST. This would pick up your dining room set and the legs on your storage ottoman and would really go well with your sofas and carpeting. The rust is golden and browns can be BOLD and LEOPARD is BOLD.

Thanks Carole.........great mini-course in decorating! Glad you mentioned "butterscotch" as my granite is butterscotch........with the wood floors and cabinetry in the kitchen it is developing into quite a "cozy" room.........think I posted a puzzle or two.........? I was thinking red paint and then I was thinking green and then I was "thinking".........LOL The only carpeting I have is in my bedroom and in the area in the photo.........I think an area rug under the coffee table would pull the area together? ALL SUGGESTIONS APPRECIATED EVERYONE and Carole is our leader! lol

I'm really hoping that the addition of some of your favorite colors makes you happier when you walk into the room! These are cheerful, sunny, colors with lots of warmth, as some have noted. I'm seeing some rather "golden" wood cabinetry in some adjoining space. Consider a lighter shade, not brown but maybe a light, golden honey or butterscotch color that would tie the rooms together and keep the warmth and the sunny feeling going...it's a lot less scary than a bright color.

Have someone go with you to either Lowe's or Home Depot and get as many samples in that range as you can find. I think you'll be surprised at how many fall ino this description. Go back after you've decided on a color or two that might work and get a "tester" container of a color (many paint companies now sell small amounts for this purpose) and paint it onto a posterboard or a corregated carton that you can look at in various places in the room. This is really worth the time. The lighting and daylight in the room can make a difference. Consider the daytime and nighttime look. Put some of your new accessories in front of the selected color. Do they look good together? Don't feel rushed!!!

I'm going to look at some of my many catalogues and see if I can find an area rug that would work for your room...I often put smaller art rugs (usually about 5' X 7') on top of carpeting to add texture and character to a space. They work great to tie things together and there are lots of machine-made, affordable ones these days.

Sorry I took so long to find your comment! I had company and wasn't getting to my computer much. I'm just delighted that you're taking a jump into the wonderful world of color.

Yeah, I have a LR wall painted in pale yellow, but have often thought how pretty it would be in the winter with a pale gold color, or just a tad deeper than what I have it now. And you're right, I don't think you can go wrong with "warm" colors. And my place is too small for dark colors, would "enclose" it too much, you know? Enjoy the day then and have fun! :)

I am always thinking ahead......keep imagining how the rooms would look when winter sets in and it is freezing outside.........warm and cozy colored walls or-or-or???............think I better get busy on my chores and not over-think things......in a few hours it will be Sunday afternoon wine time and I will draw on that to become creative! lol

screeeeeeeech - ha ha ha! I do like paler colors myself, even tho my bedroom wall has the dark orange-y deep redder color on it, that is on the end wall. And I like that, it's bright, but deep, and I don't like waking up to a real light color...too bright I suppose. But hey, it's up to you!

Hi, did have to figure out how to fix it........so far, it has stayed full screen. PAINT SAMPLES......screeeeeeeech........then I will really be confused......lol I do watch all the new online real estate listings to peek and see what colors are used. :)

Flkatz, I know what you mean, I was kind of thinking accents walls as opposed to all over color and Tisketsmum, like your suggestion also (since I can be the Queen of procrastination the walls might just stay white forever).

I like tisketsmum's reply, decorate with color, and not on the walls. However, I will say this, if you decide to change to a wall color, make the "end wall" the one with the color. You know what I mean Carol?

Carol I love your cushions :))Why not keep your walls neutral and add colour in the curtains & furnishings, then if you want to ring the changes it will be easier than painting the walls again?Looks like you have the taste and flair to make it look great whatever you do.